Liquid feeding device



April 2, 1946. L J MaCGLASHAN 2,397,677

LIQUID FEEDING DEVICE.

Filed Aug. 11:, 1943 INVENTOR. lee J /%c' /ag'a/z Patented Apr. 2, 1946LIQUID FEEDING DEVICE Lee J. MacGlashan, Long Beach. Calii., assignor toE. C. MacGlashan, North Hollywood, Calif.

Application August 11, 1943, Serial No. 498,218

3 Claims.

- This invention relates to apparatus for feeding quantities of a liquidinto a receptacle, and while features of the invention may be employedin other situations, in the present specification, the inventionisdescribed as applied to a toilet bowl for feeding a disinfectant ordeodorizer into the toilet bowl in small quantities.

Many devices have been employed for this general purpose, but most ofthem operate by providing a continuous drip of the deodorizer into thebowl. This involves a waste of the deodorizer where th'e bowl is not inconstant use, and usually results in the odor of the disinfectant beingso strong as to be very disagreeable.

Some such devices have been connected to the flushing apparatus so as tobe operated automatically when the bowl is flushed, but this results inintroducing the deodorizer into the bowl while the flushing operation iscontinuing, which of course tends to defeat the primary purpose ofintroducingthe deodorizer, because most of the deodorizer passes downthe soil pipe with the flush water.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide apparatus of simpleconstruction which'is controlled through the agency of the staticpressure existing in a supply duct or pipe. In other words, my object isto utilize variations in staticpressure to eifect the feeding of aquantity-of liquid into a receptacle which in the present instance is atoilet bowl; the drop in static pressure that occurs during the flushingoperation bringing about the feeding movement of the deodorizer ordisinfectant afterthe flushing operation ceases. I Another object of theinvention is to provide simple apparatus that is particularlyadapted forattachment to an ordinary toilet bowland water supply-pipe or duct inwhich the fius water normally stands under the usual pressure that ismaintained in water service lines. 4 ""Another object of the inventionis to provide a reservoir for thedeodorizer connected up as a source'ofsupply to the apparatus, together with means for indicating the amountof deodorizer in the reservoir.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingspecification and drawing illustrating an adaptation of the invention,by way of example, to the specific purpose of deodorizing a toilet bowl.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating apparatus embodying thisinvention connected up to a toilet bowl and its water supply pipe;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section through the apparatus ,upon alargerscale, but this section is represented as though viewed from the rearside of the parts as shown in Fig; 1, a portionof'the indicatlng'rodbeing broken away; I v

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the reservoir taken on the line33 of Fig. 2'; and

'Fig. 4 is ,a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. 7 v v Inpracticing the invention when applied to a toilet bowl for example, Iprovide a movablepressure responsive part such as a diaphragm I which ismounted in the apparatus in such a way that one side of this member issubjected to the pressure in the duct or water supply pipe 2 thatconducts the flush water to the toilet bowl 3.

As shown, this pipe 2 is connected to a flush valve 4 having a handle(not illustrated) for operating it. When this valve is opened, the flushwater which is under the usual pressure existing in water service lines,flows past the valve and through the flushing inlet 5 into the bowl.

In the present instance, the space on one side of the diaphragm l ismaintained under the static pressure of pipe- 2 by means of a pipeconnection 6 (see Fig. 1). The diaphragm I is associated with a chamber1 within a casing 8 which contains deodorizing liquid. I

When the bowl. isbeing flushed, the water in the pipe 2 flows past theconnection 6 and a reduced's'tatic pressure immediately resultsso thatthe diaphragm 1 moves outwardly or toward the right. as viewed in Fig.2. This, of course, increases the effective capacity of the chamber 1,and more deodorizer liquid flows into it as will be presently described.I

As soon as the flushing operation ceases, the service pressure inthepipes 2 and 6 is established again and the diaphragm is moved back bythis static pressure to itsnormal positionshown in Fig. 2. This cycle ofmovement of the diaphragm effects-the feeding of a quantity of thedeodorizer into the bowl 3 through a pipe connection 9 that leads out ofthe chamber I over into the flushing inlet 5. The pipe 9 is connected tothe chamber 1 by a fitting H] of trap type having a check valve I I thatprevents any back-flow into the chamber 1 from the flush pipe 5.

The chamber 1 is preferably provided with means for adjusting the amountof possible movement of the diaphragm l and for this purpose, I

provide a long bolt having a stem l2 with a threaded shank i3 threadedinto a tapped opening in the rear head l4, and held fixed in position bymeans of a check-nut 15.

This stem carries a movable head It with a occurs; a

ter flows up the pipe 2' to the bowl and the static,

g Le V bore I! that fits the diameter of the stem. The bottom of thisbore I1 seats against the end of the stem to limit the movement of thediaphragml Thehead I6 may have a concave face I8 to take the thrust ofthe diaphragm and if desired this face may be secured in any desiredmanner to the diaphragm. 7 V

When the static pressure falls during the flushing and th diaphragm Imovesvv toward the right. (see Fig, 2) a quantity of the deodorizingliquid may be fed into chamber, 1 from a reservoir I9f While the'formsof my invention herein disclosed in detail are now deemed the preferredembodiments thereof, it is to be understood that they are merelyillustrative of the broad scope that may be employed if desired toinsure a plenti 3 ful supply of the deodorizer, This reservoir has anoutlet neck that may be threaded into'a fitting 2I secured to the upperside of th casing;

8 and provided with a check valve 22. that. pres,

' normal positionafter a flushing operation has occurred." V V Ifdesired, the reservoir I9 may be providedwith a removable cap 24 havinga,guideopeningfor a graduated stem 25 that is carried by afloat 26. Theside of this stem has a scale 21 the readings on which'at the upper faceof the cap will indicate approximately how much deodorizer is left in'the reservoir.

A removable screwcap 28 clamps the edge of the diaphragm; I tothe end ofthe cylinder 8, and a check valve 30 is preferably placedin the supplylin ahead of the pipe 6 to isolate the device from pressure variationsin the linefrom causes other than the flushing operation;

The mode of operation will now be briefiy'restated. V

- As long as the static pressure in the duct or pipe 2 'i jmaintained,no. feedv of the deodorizer Whenthe flush valve 4 is operated, wa-

pressure at the side of the diaphragm I" becomes reduced, whereupon thediaphragm I moves" outwardlyin response to the. urging of spring 23;thereby increasing the capacity of the chamber 1 at the left side of thediaphragm as shown in Fig;

odorizer from this pipe 9, into the. flushing inlet 5. V

of my invention defined by the appended claims.

I claim: 1

1. In a system for supplying flushing water to a toilet bowl through aflush-valve controlled pressure line wherein the pressure varies inresponse to opening and; cl'osing-ofifthej; flush-valve, means forsupplying a predetermined charge of liquid chemical to the bowl onlyimmediately after each closure of the flush-valve, comprising adispenseradapted to be maintained filled with the chemicahsaid dispenser beingadapted to communicate with the bowl, pressure-responsive means definingwith the walls of the dispenser the'capacity thereofand operableinresponse to closure. of the flush-valve to reduce the capacity of thedispenser whereby to force chemical therefrom: into the boWLand meansoperable only upon opening of the flush-valve to increase theica-pacityV of thereceptacle andto' refill the samevwith liquid chemical;

2. lna system for supplying flushing: water to a" prising achemicalreservoir, a. chemical dispenser,

aconduit providing. gravity flow of chemical from v the reservoir to thedispenser, a check valve controlling said conduit and seating towardsthe reservoir, a second-conduit adapted forprov-iding communication from,the dispenser to the bowl; a diaphragm providing one of the walls ofthedispenser and defining with the remaining walls thereof the capacityof the dispenser, said diaphragm being flexible outwardly to increasethe cubic'capacity of the dispenser whereby to permit gravity flow ofenough chemical from thereservoir past thecheck valve tothe dispenser toill-l the latter; and being flexible inwardly to-displ'ace chemical inthe dispenser to the extent'of said increased capacity; means adapted toprovide constant-communication between the lineat a pointahead of thefiush valve and the outer face" of the diaphragm, said diaphragmbeingadapted to-flex inwardly in response; to pressure resulting fromclosureof the flush-valve, stop means f orli'miting theihwardffiexureof'thedi'adisposed in the dispenser. in positionltobe abutted c by thediaphragm and wherein the spri'ngfmeans is disposed"axially abouttherodi V V V

